2012 UPCOMING EVENTS

Extended Memorial Day Weekend Hours on Friday, May 25, 2012, through Monday, May 28, 2012 from Noon to 4:00 PM

You are invited to visit Raven Hill Discovery Center during extended Memorial Day Weekend hours on Friday, May 25, 2012, through Monday, May 28, 2012, from Noon to 4:00 pm. Enjoy the indoor and outdoor exhibits & hands-on activities on the Center's 157 acres. Admission is $8 per person, except for babies who stay in backpacks or strollers - includes indoor, hands-on exhibits and exotic animal session, as well as outdoor exhibits. Classes are available for an additional charge (see below for class list).  Can't make it during regular hours?  Call to schedule an appointment or a class at your convenience at 231.536.3369 or email info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org.

Click here to view the class list

Summer Hours begin Memorial Day Weekend from Friday, May 25, 2012, through Labor Day Weekend

Visit Raven Hill Discovery Center this summer!  Whether you come just for the day, a class or often, there is always something new to do at Raven Hill! Explore all the exhibits indoors & outdoors on the 157 acres; purchase a membership and come often; take a class - there is something that will interest you (see the link above); become a volunteer or support Raven Hill at their adults only evening on July 21, 2012 at 6:00 pm, Summer Magic: Reaching for the Stars! Have a question? Do you want to schedule a class or an appointment to visit?  Call 231.536.3369 for more information or to schedule your outing to Raven Hill or email info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org.

Summer Hours:

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday - Friday

Noon to 4:00 pm Saturday

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sunday

Also open extended hours during many holiday breaks

Or always open by appointment

Click here for a Summer Flyer

FREE (Families Reaching for Educational Excellence) 2nd Saturdays 

Saturday, June 9, 2012, FREE 2nd Saturday Program:  Papermaking

The popular FAMILY AFFAIR events continue at Raven Hill Discovery Center into 2012, with the next event on June 9th with FREE ADMISSION and highlighting papermaking.  Sponsored by the Charlevoix County Community Foundation from February through November, each month FREE 2nd Saturday will highlight a different science, history or art activity (AND the connections between them!), as well as allow families to explore the hands-on museum and animals indoors and enjoy the Music Garden, Jurassic Park Walk, Schoolhouse, Tree House and other outdoor exhibits.  FREE 2nd Saturday hours are from noon to 4 pm.  Bring the whole family OR make it a special event for parent and child. There will be fun problem-solving demos & activities to fit various ages, abilities and interests every second Saturday from February to November of 2012.  Please no organizations or groups on 2nd Saturdays - remember, it's a family affair!

In 2010, Second Saturday Science Days were sponsored by the Charlevoix County Community Foundation and in 2011, Second Saturday Science Days were made possible by the Petoskey Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and other generous donors.  Because of these donations, family groups were able to strengthen creative & critical thinking skills by exploring a different science concept each month, plus enjoy the museum, animals and the outdoor exhibits.  In 2012, the name changes to FREE (Families Reaching for Educational Excellence) 2nd Saturdays and the special activities will expand to include history and art, as well as science.  The Center has received funding for the second half of 2012--July through November from Charlevoix County Community Foundation.  THANK YOU!  Raven Hill will continue to look for funding for December 2012.

 

Download the 2012 FREE 2nd Saturday Flyer

NOMAC (NOrthern Michigan Astronomy Club) 1st Annual Star Party on Friday and Saturday, June 15 - 16, 2012 at Raven Hill Discovery Center

NOrthern Michigan Astronomy Club invites you to the 1st Annual Star Party to be held at Raven Hill Discovery Center on Friday, June 15, and Saturday, June 16, 2012.  The Star Party is free to anyone, for limited viewing each night. Camping is available for $20 per night or $30 for both nights. NOMAC members' camping fee is $10 per night. Bring your own telescope and equipment or use NOMAC's equipment.  This is a great family and friends' opportunity to appreciate our night sky treasures and we would love for you to join us. See NOMAC's web site,www.nomac.net, for more details or download the flyer below.

Click here for a NOMAC 1st Annual Star Party Flyer

 

June, July and August CMU Graduate Courses at Raven Hill for 2012 - Professional Development for Teachers and Interested Others

Graduate credit classes for educators through Central Michigan University, Off-Campus Programs at Raven Hill Discovery Center are offered year-round: two consecutive weekends during the school year and one week (Monday through Thursday) during the summer months.

CMU Credit Information

Each session offers three semester hours of graduate credit through Central Michigan University. Credit is accepted by most school districts toward professional certificate renewal or teacher recertification and may also be used to comply with the School Administrator continuing education requirement. If you are working on a degree program, please consult with your advisor or certification office to determine if the course will apply to your program.

Dates and times for 2012 off campus graduate courses at Raven Hill are found in the flyer below. Sign up for June, July and August 2012 workshops now!! 

Click here for 2012 Flyer of CMU, Off-Campus Programs at Raven Hill Discovery Center

Luke Buck Water Color Workshop at Raven Hill Discovery Center on Thursday, June 28, 2012 and Friday, June 29, 2012 from 10 am to 3 pm

Luke Buck, a native "Hoosier", grew up and studied art in Indiana.  His nostalgic paintings of Americana landscapes and American wildlife show a love for life, art and nature.  Many "locals" here in northern Michigan appreciate his talents and enjoy collecting his paintings.

"I'm looking forward to returning to Raven Hill Discovery Center for another workshop session in Watercolor Painting.  It's been my pleasure sharing ideas and thoughts with such an energetic and knowledgeable group of artists during the course over the past couple of years.  It's been a nice blend of painters, from the novice and beginner, to the more experienced and accomplished artist.  During last year's Watercolor Workshop, we had several requests to explore watercolor painting of water.  This year, along with a general study in watercolor technique in landscape painting, we will focus on painting Water in Watercolor - lakes, rivers, rain, waterfalls, etc."  Luke will be teaching his unique but traditional technique and approach to watercolor painting through lectures, demonstrations, and step-by-step painting with one-on-one instructions.  This workshop is designed for beginner, intermediate, or advanced watercolor painters and will focus on techniques for painting water.  Early enrollment is recommended as space is limited. Cost $250 for 2 days.  Lunch is included.  Contact Cheri Leach at 231.536.3369 or toll free 877.833.4254 or email info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org for further details and to register.

Click here for a Luke Buck Water Color Workshop Flyer

Summer Magic 2012:  Reaching for the Stars on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Save the date for Summer Magic 2012:  Reaching for the Stars on Saturday, July 21, 2012 for a special, adults only, night on the grounds of Raven Hill.  Local restaurants provide the finger foods and a silent auction offers a wonderful array of artistic creations.  The proceeds from Summer Magic support ongoing programs at Raven Hill, which connect science, art and history, as well as required matching donations for grant awards.  See Special Events below for more details or go to the "Summer Magic 2012" drop down page under "News".

2012 Raven Hill Discovery Center Calendar

Download the 2012 Raven Hill Discovery Center Calendar

2012 SPECIAL EVENTS

Summer Magic 2012:  Reaching for the Stars on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Save the date for Summer Magic 2012:  Reaching for the Stars on Saturday, July 21, 2012 for a special, adults only, night on the grounds of Raven Hill.  Local restaurants provide the finger foods and a silent auction offers a wonderful array of artistic creations.  The proceeds from Summer Magic support ongoing programs at Raven Hill, which connect science, art and history, as well as required matching donations for grant awards.

Ticket Prices:

$20 in Advance

$25 at the Door

Join our Sponsors:

Three Star Sponsors

Petoskey News Review

Van Dam Custom Boats

One Star Sponsors

Chateau Chantal

Balloon or Other Sponsors

Crooked Tree Breadworks, Advance Transmission and Auto, Boyne Trading Company, Call of the Wild, Gaylord Country Club, Gaylord Ford Lincoln, Inc., Green Lantern Bar, Northern Bear Country Store, Otsego County Sportsplex, Settings Restaurant

If you would like more information or to be a sponsor, see below for details or contact Raven Hill at info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org or call 231.536.3369 or 877.833.4254.

Please support our sponsors and their businesses!

Click here for Sponsorship Opportunities

Click here for bidding information on a 5' X 5' speed painting by artist, Martina Hahn

IMPORTANT NEWS

Announcing CMU Graduate Courses for 2012 - Professional Development for Teachers and Interested Others

Graduate credit classes for educators through Central Michigan University, Off-Campus Programs at Raven Hill Discovery Center are offered year-round: two consecutive weekends during the school year and one week (Monday through Thursday) during the summer months.

CMU Credit Information

Each session offers three semester hours of graduate credit through Central Michigan University. Credit is accepted by most school districts toward professional certificate renewal or teacher recertification and may also be used to comply with the School Administrator continuing education requirement. If you are working on a degree program, please consult with your advisor or certification office to determine if the course will apply to your program.

Dates and times for 2012 off campus graduate courses at Raven Hill are found in the flyer below. Sign up for June, July and August 2012 workshops now!! 

Click here for 2012 Flyer of CMU, Off-Campus Programs at Raven Hill Discovery Center

GET AHEAD! Schedule Your Professional Development for the 2012-13 School Year Through Great Lakes Math Science Center and Raven Hill Discovery Center

Schedule your Professional Development & Hands-On Science for the 2012-13 school year. Reserve the prime slots. THIS IS FREE FOR CHAR-EM ISD AND COP ESD SCHOOLS! Schools not covered by the Great Lakes Math and Science Center can schedule a visit from Raven Hill Staff. Call Raven Hill for information and rates.

Great Lakes Math and Science Center partners with Raven Hill Discovery Center located in East Jordan, Michigan to offer a "whole" teaching & learning experience with professional development for teachers and hands-on science for students called "Pick a GLCE". This program is available "On Demand" September 2011 through May 2012. Raven Hill Discovery Center staff visits 5 or 6 classrooms at a school, spending 45 minutes to 1 hour per classroom on a Science Grade Level Content Expectation (GLCE) chosen by the teacher and modeled with the teacher's students. To schedule a day of professional development, contact Raven Hill at 231.536.3369 or 877.833.4254 or email info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org.

Once your day is scheduled, fill out the Great Lakes Math and Science Center Day Schedule (below) and email to info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org or fax it to Raven Hill Discovery Center at 231.536.0132.

 

Click here for a Professional Development Pick a GLCE Flyer

 Download a Great Lakes Math and Science Center Schedule

•  Past & present
• Art & history
• Natural & manmade
• Decorative & purposeful.

It will be a celebration of our earth and our cultural history.

Two professional artists will create and install their modern interpretations of well-known ancient megaliths. The other three megaliths will be chosen from submitted miniliths created by students and community members. All five new megaliths will be created in large scale for permanent display in Raven Hill’s Ancient World. 

Students and community members are invited to submit miniliths, which will be their modern interpretations of ancient megaliths. Raven Hill staff will be available in March for presentations to groups about this special project and the information will be available on the Raven Hill Web Site under “News”. Call 231.536.3369 for more information or questions or to book a presentation. Miniliths should be on a base and all items should be firmly attached to the base and to each other. Miniliths are due April 21, 2012. All submitted miniliths will be on display starting April 22nd at Raven Hill. A committee of experts will choose three miniliths to be “enlarged” and installed in the Ancient World exhibit in June. All five new exhibits will be unveiled at a grand opening September 16, 2012.

Important Dates

• Month of March - Power Point presentations at your site or on Raven Hill Web Site
• Month of April - Miniliths created at your site
• April 21st - Miniliths due and juried at Raven Hill
• April 22nd - Blurred Boundaries Minilith Exhibit opens at Raven Hill, winners announced
• May 1st - Pick up Miniliths, except for 3 chosen for re-creation
• Month of June - Top 3 Miniliths "enlarged" in Ancient World
• September 16th - Grand Opening of Blurred Boundaries in the Ancient World

Click here for a Blurred Boundaries Information Flyer and Guidelines

Click here for a Blurred Boundaries Glossary and References

Click here for the Blurred Boundaries Powerpoint

Click here for the Blurred Boundaries Powerpoint Note: This is a PDF version

Click here to donate and support Blurred Boundaries

2012 PRESS RELEASES

Hestia Women's Giving Circle Grant Awarded to Raven Hill Discovery Center For Summer of 2012

Raven Hill Discovery Center is proud to announce a grant award from the Hestia Women's Giving Circle for the summer of 2012. The Center's GUT-SEE Girls (Giving Useful Thinking Skill Experiences & Explorations to Girls) seeks to increase the probability that girls will enter careers in the physical sciences by giving them confidence and skills to succeed. GUT-SEE Girls includes hands-on experiences and explorations in process and problem-solving skills vital to the physical sciences for twenty Charlevoix County middle school girls during eight summer sessions at Raven Hill Discovery Center.  The Center will work with teachers and counselors to identify the students.

MCACA Grant Awarded to Raven Hill Discovery Center

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, has announced a 2012 award to Raven Hill Discovery Center for Blurred Boundaries: Ancient to Modern Megaliths. This is the twelfth consecutive grant awarded to Raven Hill by MCACA and is for $6,000 and must be matched with another $6,000 in cash or in-kind contributions. The grant will allow Raven Hill to expand its Ancient World area with five new megaliths. Megaliths are large stone sculptures or groupings of rocks originally placed for sacred celebrations or to honor something or someone.

Two professional artists will create and install their modern interpretations of well-known ancient megaliths. Schools and community members will be invited to submit miniatures of their modern interpretations of ancient megaliths. All submitted miniature megaliths will be on display during April at Raven Hill. A judging committee will choose 3 miniature megaliths to be “enlarged” and installed in the Ancient World exhibit. All five new exhibits will be unveiled at a grand opening in September 2012.

Read More

NASA Jet Propulsion Lab names 2012 Solar System Ambassador

Raven Hill Discovery Center is proud to announce the appointment of Bryan Shumaker as a 2012 Solar System Ambassador.  Sponsored by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), the Solar System Ambassador Program is a public outreach program designed to work with volunteers in communicating the excitement of JPL’s space exploration missions to people in local communities all over the United States.  As one of 500 Ambassadors from all 50 states, he will bring new and exciting opportunities to northern Michigan residents.

Bryan is founder of the new NOrthern Michigan Astronomy Club (NOMAC).  He will be working with Raven Hill staff on astronomy programs for all ages, in addition to nurturing NOMAC.

Read More

Raven Hill Discovery Center Thanks Sponsors of Summer Magic 2011

Raven Hill Discovery Center wishes to thank all the Sponsors of Raven Hill Discovery Center Summer Magic 2011. We couldn’t do it without you. Businesses, restaurants, artists, individuals and many more provided among other things monetary donations, food, and silent auction items. The proceeds from Summer Magic support ongoing programs at Raven Hill, as well as required matching donations for grant awards. Thank you again!

Click here to see the Summer Magic 2011 Sponsors

Save the date for Summer Magic 2012: Reaching for the Stars on Saturday, July 21, 2012 on the grounds of Raven Hill. If you would like to be a sponsor, please contact Raven Hill at info@ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org or call 231.536.3369 or 877.833.4254.

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

Click here to see previous Events at Raven Hill Discovery Center

Raven Hill has offered a variety of services to the community for twenty years. We continue to expand and improve our programs with a wealth of community support.

Raven Hill is:

• A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation
• Member of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Museum Alliance
• 2005 Crooked Tree Arts Center eddi Award recipient for Arts & Cultural Organizations